Improvement in steam-engine governors



l f UNITED l STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" THOMAS J LOVEGROVE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO Y'HIMSELI` AND HENRY BALDWIN, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-ENGINE GOVERNORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18, 344, (lated June 20, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS J. LOVEGRUVE, ofthe city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new andusefulImprovementin GovernorstbrSteam- Engines and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ot' the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ot' this specification, and in Vwhich l Figurelisaview,inelevation,of myim proved governor; and Fig. 2,- a vertical central section through the same. v

As usually constructed the governors of steamengines are arranged to regulate the engine by opening the throttle-valve when the engine moves too slowly, or contractin git when the engine moves too fast. These modes are liable to two grave objections: first, in closing the throttle-valve there is a diminution of the volume of steam and ot' its pressure, and, of course, this involves a waste of power, for the steam, though raised to a high pressure, will, at times, not be used at its maximum of expansion; and, second, when the governor is stopped suddenly from any.causeas, for example, the breaking of its driving-belt-the throttle-valve is thrownwide open and the engine driven by a full head of steam, under which it is liable to breakage, or even endangers the bursting of the ily-wheel.

Now, it is the object of my invention to regulate or control the working ot' a steam-en gine by means of a governor so constructed as to act simply by closing or opening the governorvalve or the engine-valve independently ot` the throttle-valve, which shallremain open all the time to Work the steam at its maximum pressure; and to this end my invention consists,

first, in opening and closingthe governor-valve by the employment of crude mercuryin the governor; second,inimpartingareciprocating motion to the stein ot' a governor-valve by a oat and crude mercury, the mercury being diffused from under the iioat by centrifugal force when the governor is in motion, and concentrated beneatll the iioat byits own gravity when the governor is at rest; third, in employing a chamber capable of revolving around a oat to contain the mercury; fourth, in inclosing the valve stem or rod in a steam-chamber to diminish friction.

Upon a proper base or governor-seat, A, I construct a suitable frame, B, to receive and support the gearb` on the inner end of the shaft D, which receives motion from the cnginein any suitable manner. Within the frame B the sleeve E is revolved by the ruiter-gear F, secured upon it, 4and receiving motion from the gear C on the driving-Wheel D. rI he sleeve E revolves in a packing-box, e, near its lower end, and carries a collar, Gr, that rotates in a suitable bearing in the top ot' the frame B.

Restingon and secured to the collar G a cup or circular basin, H, is placed with a tightjoint around the sleeve to rotate with it. The cup H may be of any proper shape to contain the oat J and hold the mercury required. In the drawings, the cup is shown as covered with a flat top, K, which may be of any form or material desired for ornamentation. The float J has a recess, t', that passes over the top of the sleeve E and ts it neatly, but so as to permit the sleeve a free rotation Without touching the collar. Within the sleeve a valve-stein, L, is placed, which is made fast to the float at top in any suitable manner, and at the bottom is to be 'connected to the lever that moves the l governor-valve, the length of the sleeve being fixed in such relation to the iioat as to allow it to move up or down within the-sleeve E to the distance required for controlling the position of the governor-valve, as desired, to leave it open when the governor is moving properly, and to close it when the governor is at rest or `movin g too fast. Within the cup H a quantity ot' mercury is placed, sufficient to raise thetloat, so as to close the governor-valve when the go'vernor is at rest, and when the governor is moving at a proper velocity this mercury will be so diffused around the interior of the cup and.

under the oat by the centrifugal motion imparted to it by the rotation of the cup as to permit the float to fall and hold the governorvalve open a proper distance to insure the When the sleeve and cup are put in motion thel mercury within the latter will be rapidly dispersed in a thin sheetor minute globules around the inner surface of the cup and up the sides of the chamber I, which will permit the oat to-descend far enough to open the governorvalve to an extent sufficient to equalize the motion of the engine; but if the belt should be broken or the motion of the governor stopped 'from any other cause, the mercury will return down the sides of the cup, pass beneath the tloat, and raise the stem until the governorvalve shall be entirely closed, and thus arrest the motion of the engine.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The employment of the single closed chamber in a governor to contain crude mercury to control the engine, substantially as described.

2. Supportinga valve-stem in a single closed chamber upon crude mercury so that the valve shall close when the mercury is at rest in the chamber and open when the mercury is dit'- fused by centrifugal motion over the chamber and float7 substantiallyin themanner described.

3. The revolving closed chamber t0 contain mercury, combined with a oat to be' operated by the mercury, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

4. rlhe combination of the sleeve E, the revolving chamber H, the float J, and the valvestem L, substantially -in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name. i

fr. J. 'Lovnenovn Witnesses: A

WILLIAMS OGLE, C. H. DOWNING, Jr. 

